The Legend of Bleach: Aizen's Mask
by xXbc4lifeXx
Summary: Ichigo Kurosaki is walking at night when two fairies knock him out. A masked blonde arrives, steals his flute, and sets Ichigo on a wild chase. It is then that he goes to Termina, where he has to save the people from a menacing moon in 3 simple days.
1. Chapter 1

_Day to night, dark to light,  
Fall the sands of time.  
Let the years like the gears Of a clock unwind In your mind walk through time Back to better days.  
Memories, like a dream,  
Wash your tears away.  
Like a star in the sky darkness can't reach you.  
Light the night, joy is light 'til the new dawn.  
Cast away your old face Full of gloom and spite.  
With this mask I will ask To borrow your light._

In the mountains of Japan, a lone teen wandered. His orange hair was clear through the fog of the night as he walked. His Kimono was black as the sky, and his sandals made not the slightest sound as they hit the damp ground. Suddenly, two balls of light came from behind a tree. One was yellow, the other, purple, and they both had wings. They knocked into the back of the teen's head, and the teen fell on his face, unconscious. Out of the mist, a tall, blonde man in a gray coat appeared. He had a menacing white mask that looked like a skull on his face and he walked towards the teen, chuckling. "Good job on knocking him out you two!" he said, amused. He walked to the fallen teen and kicked him over. Out of his kimono, fell a silver flute, thin and shining brightly. The man picked it up and examined it, then blew on it. It made an off-tune screech and he giggled. "Hey! Hey! Let me see it!" yelled the purple ball of light. "Mashiro! What if you drop it and it breaks, huh? You shouldn't touch such things!" yelled the yellow ball of light. "But....Hiyori..." mumbled Mashiro.

The teen slowly got up and stared at the blonde man, who seemed to be enjoying himself with the instrument. His eyes were filled with irritation as the blonde turned, saw the teen, and frantically held the flute behind his back like it wasn't there. The teen leaped at the blonde, but the blonde made a break for it into the thicker part of the forest. The teen followed and then, lost sight of the blonde. He found shallow footprints and followed them to a small hut. He opened the door to it and took a step forward, only then to realize there was no floor. It was too late, and the teen fell forward and into the gigantic hole. His fall was cushioned by a fluffy and large flower. He scrambled up and looked at it, then heard giggling. He looked forward and saw the blonde, hovering in the air, laughing. "You're really stupid, aren't you?" the blonde said. The teen grinded his teeth. "What? You think you can fight me? You're such a fool." the blonde spoke. He shook his head and his mask rattled. The teen's view got blurry, and suddenly he saw a gigantic, wooden creature with a crown of leaves on it's head.

He turned to run but he couldn't move. He felt his skin rumble and shake and in a flash, he saw the blonde again. The teen felt shorter, and looked down in his reflection in a small pond. He was a wooden boy. He shook his head in disbelief, and then screamed in terror, which surprisingly came out as a weak squeal. The blonde burst out laughing. "That look fits you! Now you'll be stuck looking like that here forever!" The blonde floated way and the teen chased him but Hiyori knocked into his face and stuck her tongue out(which obviously couldn't be seen cause she's in a ball of light). A stone door closed quickly and Hiyori turned and realized that Mashiro and the blonde were gone. She flew over to the door and shouted. "Mashiro! Shinji! Wait for me! Don't leave me here!" She rammed into it multiple times but all she did was make her body ache. She gave the teen a death glare and yelled. "It's all your fault! Well?! Do you want to get out of here or are you gonna stare at me for the rest of eternity?!!" The teen pushed the stone door out of the way with some difficulty but did it anyway, as the stone was thin. He ran down the hall only to hear Hiyori yell at him. "Hey, don't leave me!" she caught up to him and looked at him. "I.....i'm sorry for what I did. I'm Hiyori. Who are you?" The teen looked angry but calmed down. "My name's Ichigo Kurosaki." he squeaked out of the small and hollow hole where his mouth was.


	2. Chapter 2

"Sorry if you don't trust me, but I have an idea of where Shinji might be going." said Hiyori. Ichigo nodded. "I'll just tag along with you until we find him, ok?" Hiyori flew into the large black hat that Ichigo just then noticed he was wearing, then shook his head and walked on. He came to a flower like the one he landed on just minutes before. Hiyori shouted at him and he listened carefully through her now muffled voice. "That's a deku flower. Since you're a deku, you can dive into it and pop out with flowers to fly short distances." Ichigo nodded, which made him receive another shout because his hat moved as well, making Hiyori fall and bounce inside it. Ichigo stepped into the middle of the flower and suddenly fell right into it. He found multiple, stiff flowers in it and then jumped off the mound on the ground and was then shot upwards. The flower petals began swirling like a helicopter and he swam in the air with his feet to move forward. The flowers then suddenly popped and disintegrated and he landed on the other side of a small gap. Ichigo wiped the sweat(which happened to be nonsticky honey) off his head and opened the door. When it closed, steel bars suddenly fell over it, sealing the door so he couldn't go back. Ichigo saw another deku flower and looked forward. His eyes widened as he saw small islands of land in a sea of abyss. He would have to fly from island to island with the flowers to get to the door at the other side of the dark canyon.

He jumped into the first flower and out of it, flying to the first island. He landed softly and then noticed a wooden chest without a lock next to the next deku flower. He opened the chest and found a brown, cotton bag. He opened the bag and found multiple nuts with a stinging stench. "Those are deku nuts." Hiyori shouted from his hat. "You can drop them from the air like bomb and when they crack, they release a burst of stinging light." Ichigo slipped the bag into his hat and again flew from deku flower to deku flower until he reached the final island with a door. He walked forward but then Hiyori flew from his hat to a strange tree. Ichigo walked up to it and looked at it in wonder. "It....it looks just like you." Hiyori mumbled. The tree had a screwed up jack-o-lantern like face carved on it, and it looked just like Ichigo's current face. "It seems depressing." Hiyori muttered. Ichigo looked at it for a few more seconds before he went to the door and opened it. He walked down the hall, which seemed to twirl around and around as he walked down it. He opened the stone double doors and walked into the next room. He was in a water-powered clock tower. The stone doors slowly shut behind him and he tried to pry them open, but to no avail. He sighed and walked up the wooden slopes until he reached another set of double doors, which were wooden. He walked up the steps to them but suddenly heard a voice.

"You seem to be in some trouble." a kind hearted voice said. Ichigo turned and saw a man in a stripped green and white coat and wearing clogs. He had a gigantic backpack on his back with multiple masks and hats on it and in it. He was also wearing a green and white striped hat which put a shadow over his face so you could only see his eyes, nose, and mouth. His grin was actually very familiar. Hiyori flew behind Ichigo's head to hide from the man, then looked at him from behind Ichigo. "I am Kisuke Urahara, otherwise known as the Happy Headwear Salesman." Kisuke said. He held out his hand and Ichigo shook it, remembering who he was. "You're the one who owns the Happy Headwear Shop in Karakura Town." Ichigo squeaked. Kisuke nodded. "I travel the world in search of headwear and collect them for my shop." Ichigo listened intently. "During one of my travels, a mischievous blonde man attacked me and took a precious mask of mine." Hiyori shouted in surprise. "Shinji!" Only to then hide behind Ichigo again when Kisuke looked at her. "Listen carefully." said Kisuke. "If you can recover the precious item that was stolen from you, I can return you to your former self." Ichigo stared at the man.

"What? It should not be a difficult task for someone such as you." Kisuke spoke. "However, there is a catch." Hiyori sighed. "I am a very busy fellow, and I must leave this place in 3 days." Kisuke pleaded, putting his hands together. "If you can get the mask that was stolen from me and give it back to me, then I can surely give you assistance." Ichigo was surprised at the request, which seemed impossible. "Time is running out, as 72 hours remain until I absolutely must leave. So, if you will, please retrieve those two things and return to me before time is up." Ichigo reluctantly nodded and walked out of the wooden double doors, into the bright sunlight. The dawn of the first day, with only 72 hours remaining. He was in a small city with workers working on a wooden tower with flags and banners all over it. He ran forward and looked up at the humongous clock tower. Then did he realize what was also up in the sky. The moon, which had a menacing humanoid face, was much closer to the ground than normal, and was clearly visible, even though it was day. It seemed like it was going to crash into the city, and would probably crash in three full days. Ichigo blinked and realized his thoughts and what Kisuke said. "....Crap." Ichigo mumbled. 


	3. Chapter 3

"Three days!!" Hiyori shouted. "Even if we don't sleep that's a measly 72 hours!" Ichigo nodded and sighed. Suddenly, he heard barking and turned around. He was tackled by a gray terrier dog, and fell near a yellow deku flower. "Wait!" shouted someone from a distance. Ichigo looked up and a deku scrub was flying in the sky, being lifted by his hat which spun like a helicopter. He landed near the flower and bowed. "This is my flower and my property. Don't steal it." Ichigo seemed confused and the deku laughed. "I'm a salesman scrub, I sell tickets to other deku's to fly with my flower. It shoots a deku up twice as high. You can even get up to the clock tower." Ichigo nodded. "I will be opening my flower to scrubs like you on the day of the carnival. But I haven't had much business and I wish I had a jewel to give to my wife as a present..." Ichigo dismissed the last part and was already wandering around the city. He arrived at the northern-most part of it and saw a gigantic balloon with an image of the mask Shinji was wearing on it. A skinny girl was throwing rocks at it and sighed. Hiyori bounced on Ichigo's head to get his attention.

"Listen! We should go see the Great Fairy! She should be able to help us. Her shrine is up on that hill there." She motioned her wings to a hill with a cave. Ichigo ran up the hill and in the cave. He reached a small fountain and then noticed that Hiyori's wings were bent downward in sadness. Ichigo looked at the fountain and discovered that small, doll-like objects were flying around it. "Hear my plea!" yelled the dolls in a voice that made Ichigo know that they were in pain, and that they were female. "I have been shattered by the evil Blonde one! Find the single stray fairy that is lost in this city and bring it back to this fountain." Ichigo nodded and ran out of the cave and around town. "I can't believe Shinji beat the great fairy..." Hiyori muttered in astonishment. Ichigo wandered into what seemed like a public district when he saw a lone fairy-like doll that looked like the ones at the fountain. He looked for something to put it in and noticed a small, wooden crate. He took the crate and emptied it(and put a few pennies he found in it in his hat to keep) and ran over to the fairy. He caught it with the box and ran back to the hill.

Ichigo entered the cave and suddenly, the fairy broke through the crate and gathered with the others. They all formed together and, in a burst of gray smoke, they were gone and in their place was a nearly naked women with orange hair. She giggled loudly and Ichigo covered his eyes and fell down, trying to hide his intense blushing. "Don't be afraid cursed one, I am Rangiku, otherwise known as the Great Fairy of Reiatsu." Hiyori snorted. "I thought you were the Great Fairy of Seduction?" Rangiku cried out in protest. "What? I am not! Are they all saying that?" Hiyori chuckled. "Well, anyway, I was shattered by the masked Blonde." said Rangiku. Ichigo got up and finally got to look at Rangiku without his eyes falling over to her features. "I can't help much, but I will grant you the ability of reiatsu." Rangiku spoke. She held her hands out and waved them slowly at Ichigo. Ichigo was covered in clearish gray smoke and then, he felt a sudden surge of power. He raised his wooden arms out valiantly and Rangiku smiled. You can now blow powerful reiatsu-powered bubbles-"

Ichigo stopped and stared at her angrily and shouted(more like squeaked loudly), "What?! All I get is the ability to blow magic bubbles?!!" Rangiku shook her head. "That's all I could do. Sorry." She fell into the fountain and disappeared. Ichigo ran over to it and stomped on it loudly and angrily. He finally calmed down and went out of the cave. "I can't believe this!" he shouted. "Bubbles? Really? What can they possibly DO?!" at the shout of 'do', he blew a large bubble. It fluttered over to the balloon and, to their surprise, popped it. The girl jumped in surprise and looked at Ichigo. "Did you do that?" she asked. Ichigo nodded. She walked over to him. "I'm Tatsuki, the leader of the Bombers gang." Several other teens jumped from nowhere and near Tatsuki. "I'll let you join us if you can find us all by sunset!" Ichigo felt like he was an idiot for a second and strangely, nodded. Tatsuki laughed and nodded. "Ok, let's start!" 


	4. Chapter 4

The group of teens scattered and ran in every direction to hide. Ichigo waited for a few seconds and then started looking for them. Surprisingly, it was a lot harder than he thought. The city may be kind of small, but there are a multitude of hiding places. Suddenly, while walking in the market district, he saw one of the teens arguing with a banker in green clothing. Ichigo ran over to him just in time to hear the strange argument. "Wanna worship SATAN?!" yelled the banker. "For the last time no I just want to withdraw some money!" the teen shouted. "Worship SATAN!! He has PEANUT BUTTER!" Ichigo poked the teen and the teen whirled around and groaned. "Aww! You found me!" Suddenly the banker jumped from his counter and wacked the teen with a peanut butter jar. "Worship SATAN!!" the banker screamed. Ichigo ran away from there and when he felt he was far enough away, sighed and continued searching.

"Ugh, why do we have to play this stupid game anyway?" Hiyori whined. Ichigo shook his head, as even though he felt like it was pointless, he also felt like it was important. The next three bomber members were each hiding behind something. Now, only Tatsuki needed to be found. "Look!" Hiyori shouted. Ichigo turned and looked at the sky. It was almost sunset! Ichigo wandered every and searched everywhere, but he just couldn't find Tatsuki. Tatsuki seemed to be like the same Tatsuki from Karakura Town, and Ichigo wondered if they had the same personalities too. If they did, then he might know where she was hiding. Ichigo decided it was worth a shot, so he walked over to a Karate Training Center he noticed and went inside. Sure enough, Tatsuki was hiding behind a statue of a Karate master. Ichigo went up to her and she jumped and sighed. "You finally found me!" she pouted.

The five teens and Ichigo all met where the balloon used to be. Tatsuki nodded and smiled. "You're pretty good for a deku scrub. We could give you a Bomber Notebook if only you were human. Unless...." she looked at the other teens. "No scrubs!!" they shouted. "Well, you're now a member! We'll give you the code to enter out secret hideout!" Tatsuki lifted her skirt up and Ichigo almost fainted but then he noticed a 1 on her panties. "Tatsuki, the Shodaime Bomber!" The teen that was attacked lifted his shirt up a little to show a 2 tatooed on his abs. "Keigo, the Nidaime Bomber!" The next teen took his left shoe off to reveal a 3 on his sock. "Mizuiro, the formal Sandaime Bomber..." Next, a girl with glasses and who was smirking put down her shirt a little to show some of her left bra, which had a 4 on it. "Chizuru, the Yondaime Bomber and the Great Fairy's BIGGEST fan!" Finally, a long haired girl moved the hair over her right ear to show a 5 tatooed on it. "Ryou, Godaime Bomber...etc etc..." Tatsuki nodded and Ichigo stared at them. "....12345 is the code?" he asked, astonished. "Yep!" Tatsuki said simply, grinning. Ichigo muttered curses to himself and went away. "Our hideout is by the Mayor's Office! Tell Kagine the code and he'll let you in" Tatsuki shouted.

"What a waste of time!" Hiyori said. Ichigo nodded and then came by the Mayor's Office to see a tall man who he assumed was Kagine, as Kagine happened to be the name of his principal at his school in Karakura Town and they both looked alike. "The......" Kagine made a dramatic pause. "....PASSSSSSSSWORDDDD?!!" he shouted foolishly. Ichigo sighed. "12345..." Kagine nodded and opened the door in a wall and Ichigo went down the steps into what seemed like a sewer. Ichigo found another set of stairs and then went up to them to what seemed like an observatory. He went up another set of steps and saw an aged man looking through a telescope. "Hello there." he said weakly. "I am Ginrei Kuchiki. You must be a new member of the Bomber's gang." he mumbled. Ichigo nodded. "You seem like you have better manners than that other friend of yours." Hiyori listened intently. "A masked blonde teen threatened to break my instruments and steal my moon's tear, which is the brightest jewel in all of Termina." So this land is called Termina, Ichigo thought. "Will you gaze into my telescope to observe the land and sky?" Ginrei asked. Ichigo nodded and looked into the telescope, which was aimed at the top of the clock tower.

Ichigo saw most of the landscape outside of the city. Snowy mountains in the north, an ocean in the west, and a canyon in the east. He couldn't tell what was in the south because the observatory was located in the south. Then, he noticed something on the top of the clock tower. He zoomed the telescope and discovered that Shinji was on it. Shinji seemed to be laughed, and then looked up at the moon. Ichigo tilted the telescope up to look at the moon and, to his surprise, a blue rock feel from the moon's 'eye' and crashed next to the observatory. Ichigo looked at Shinji again but only saw him show his butt at the telescope, slap it, and jump out of sight. Ichigo stopped looking at the telescope and looked at Ginrei. "What was that sound? Will you go have a look outside?" Ichigo nodded and ran outside the door. The observatory was barred with fences to keep people out and Ichigo saw a blue rock, which looked like a tear, was imbedded in the ground. Ichigo tried pulling it out but it was deep in the ground. Ichigo then got an idea and he blew on it. A bubble splattered on it and Ichigo slowly slipped it out of its crater. He ran inside and Ginrei started speaking. "I wonder how the moon tears fall? And how did that blonde boy get on top of the clock tower? The only way up there is on the eve of the carnival which is in three days." Ichigo remembered what the deku salesman had said and then scurried down the stairs to get to the salesman. 


	5. Chapter 5

Ichigo came out of the door to see the sun rise barely above the horizon. The dawn of the second day had arrived. Small drops of rain came down from the sky as he hurried over to the clock tower. "Hey! You don't have to go so fast!" yelled Hiyori from inside Ichigo's hat, which she hit the fabric walls of every time Ichigo took a step. He found the deku salesman talking to another deku scrub and hurried over to him. The deku scrub nodded and left and the deku salesman looked at Ichigo. "You're one day early, sorry." said the salesman. Ichigo took out the 'moon's tear' and as soon as the blue light illuminating it hit the sight of the salesman, his eyes widened. "Is that what I think it is?!" shouted the salesman. He snatched the rock from Ichigo's hands and observed it in excitement. "I'll trade you this spot for this rock! Deku flower included!" Ichigo nodded and the salesman jumped in glee. He got his stuff from inside the flower and the top of his head(which was crowned with a few palm leaves) spun and he flew off over the walls out of sight. Ichigo jumped into the flower, got some small flowers inside, and was shot out of it. He was surprised at how high he went up, noticing that he could land on the platform which he assumed was in front of the door to the clock tower. He flew over to it and dropped down on it and found a bundle of what seemed like mashed grass on it. He observed it and accidentally vacuumed it into his mouth and swallowed it. Suddenly, he felt very sleepy. His eyes quickly shut and he collapsed on the platform. Hiyori smelled the scent of it and fell asleep soon after. The opium seemed to be having a swift effect on the two.

Ichigo slowly opened his eyes and then opened them wide as he realized where he was. He jumped up and noticed he was still on the platform. Hiyori slowly flew up and landed on Ichigo's shoulder. It was night, but definitely not the same night they fell asleep. Ichigo looked up at the sky and almost fell off the platform when he saw how near it was to the clock tower. It's nose was only so far away from the tip of the tower. Suddenly, fireworks erupted from the area around the tower. The top part of the tower spit and fell making the face of the clock face upward. The door to the tower slowly opened and Ichigo looked around. The city was practically empty. He noticed a large man pouting about the carnival being cancelled and he had a switch in his hand, which probably set off the tower and the fireworks. "This is it! What are you waiting for?!" shouted Hiyori. Ichigo came back to the reality at hand and scurried up the steps and came to the face of the clock tower, which he climbed on since it was flat and facing up. Ichigo looked up and Shinji was floating, his arms crossed and looking at Ichigo. "Hiyori!" shouted Mashiro, who appeared from behind Shinji. "Mashiro!" shouted Hiyori. Mashiro flew up in the air and looked upward and around. "Swamp. Mountains. Ocean. Canyon. Come the four who are there, bring them here-" her prayer was interrupted when Shinji smacked her down in anger. "Don't speak out of line, stupid fairy!" he shouted. "Shinji! What do you think you're doing?!" Hiyori yelled. Shinji seemed apathetic of her. "Well, whatever. Even if they were to come they can't stop me. Look above you, and if it's something that can be stopped, then try to stop it."

Shinji raised his arms and screeched. The moon shifted a bit and started to clearly and slowly move downward. Ichigo noticed his flute in the hands of Shinji. He got an idea and blew a bubble. The bubble hit Shinji who was surprised and then dropped the flute. Ichigo rushed over to pick it up and then remembered something he learned....

_"Ichigo..." mumbled a girl in a black kimono and with black hair. Her eyes were wet with tears as she looked at Ichigo, who was also in a black kimono. His sword was on his back and behind him was a gate. Inside the gate was the human world. "I can't believe you're going to finally leave Soul Society.." she said. Ichigo quietly nodded. Rukia was silent for a moment. Then, she took out a silver flute from her kimono. "Here, take this flute...and remember this song.....in memory of me.." she put the flute to her lips and blew. The song brought thoughts to his head, lyrics that she had told him that were for the short tune..._

_Hear this, melody_

_And let the one who uses it_

_make time obey_

Ichigo was about to put the flute to his lips but instead, it flew into his mouth and out of his clothing came a set of wooden pipes. "Where'd you get those?!" Hiyori said, shocked. Ichigo blew into the pipes and the song was lightly and easily played. Suddenly, a great wind past around Ichigo, putting him in a whirlwind which didn't lift him off the ground. Memory of what happened in the past three days flew past him as the sun and the stars danced in the night. The clock tower slowly lifted back into it's original position and Ichigo stood back in front of the doors he first entered when he met Kisuke. people swiftly moved around the city, tracing their steps in a rewind of the days. The moon back up into the sky back where it was 3 days ago. The wind disappeared and Ichigo opened his eyes. The pipes formed back into a flute and went into his pocket. Ichigo looked around and noticed that it was day time. He ran forward and looked up at the sky to see the moon was where it was when he first saw it. Workers were again working on the tower with banners on it. "What just happened?" asked Hiyori. She looked at Ichigo's pocket. "....that song you played.....it took us back in time....." Ichigo realized this as well and they both looked at each other. "Kisuke said that if we got back the valued item that was taken from us he would return you to normal!" Hiyori shouted. Ichigo nodded and then ran to the doors, only to then get tackled by the terrier dog again. He escaped behind the doors and saw Kisuke, waiting there like he was left. "I have told you everything just but 23 seconds earlier, have you forgotten something already?" Ichigo took out the flute and Kisuke clapped his hands in praise.


	6. Chapter 6

"I have told you everything just but 23 seconds earlier, have you forgotten something already?" said a confused Kisuke. Ichigo took out the flute and Kisuke clapped his hands in praise. "Ohoho! You've gotten back the precious item of your's!" he exclaimed. Kisuke took off his backpack and then, amazingly, slide out a large pipe organ. He got out a seat and sat on it and looked at Ichigo. "Play this melody with your item, and you will be healed." he said quietly. Ichigo listened as Kisuke softly played the notes on the keyboard. Ichigo played them on his flute and suddenly, words rushed into his mind.

_Day to night, dark to light,  
Fall the sands of time._

He felt very sleepy,

_Let the years like the gears Of a clock unwind_

His wooden skin became very soft,

_In your mind walk through time Back to better days._

He felt his heart rate slowly decrease,

_Memories, like a dream,  
Wash your tears away._

He saw the multitude of deku scrubs that surrounded him when he became one himself, seem to fade away..

_Like a star in the sky darkness can't reach you.  
Light the night, joy is light 'til the new dawn._

He remembered riding on his father's horse, named Zangetsu..

_Cast away your old face Full of gloom and spite._

He remembered how depressed and surprised he felt when he saw what he had been turned into a deku..

_With this mask I will ask To borrow your light._

He felt something slide off his face, as if he was shedding his skin. Then, a burst of light hit his eyes.  
Ichigo looked around and noticed he was still in the clock tower. He heard something wooden hit the floor and looked down. He saw a wooden mask on the ground. He picked it up, and then realized he had his normal skin. He ran over to the water wheel and looked in the water to see his reflection. He was his old self again. "I can see you are very happy." Kisuke said. "That song takes away peoples sorrows and turns them into masks. If you wear the mask you will take the form of a deku." Ichigo picked up the mask and slide it away in a sack in his pockets. Suddenly, Hiyori burst from the inside of his hat and when his hat fell, a multitude of coins fell from atop his head. Then, Kisuke held his hand out to Ichigo. "Now that I have done my part, it is time to do your's. Please give me the mask that the blonde stole.." Ichigo stared at Kisuke, then looked away. Kisuke looked at him, his hand still held out. ".......you're kidding, right?" he whispered. "You.....you did get the mask.....didn't you?" Ichigo was silent.

Kisuke grabbed Ichigo and shook him back and forth violently. "How _dare_ you trick me!" he shouted. He let go of Ichigo and put his hand to his own forehead. "Oh my.....the mask......the mask is still out there..." he said. "Why is the mask so important?" Hiyori asked. Kisuke looked at her. "That mask.....is an evil mask..." Kisuke whispered. "It is said that it was created by a tribe far to the east.." he said. "It was used in rituals of unimaginable proportions. It's said it even transformed the wearer into demons!" Ichigo listened. "Soon, the mask divided the tribe and the tribe died out from infighting over the mask. It got lost and I finally found it in a desert of white sand in a castle made completely out of marble." Hiyori nodded. "But then, when I was walking in the woods, the blonde attacked me and stole the mask. He must have thought it was cool, as the mask does look like a skull." Kisuke sighed. "You must get that mask, or very bad things will happen, do you understand?" Ichigo nodded. "Good. Now go out there and retrieve it. Don't worry about what may happen. Just believe in yourself. Believe..." Kisuke chuckled. Ichigo walked out of the tower and into the sunshine.

Even though he was in the tower for 5 minutes at the most, it burned his eyes from the sudden change in light. "Believe in yourself. Tch, what a load of-" suddenly the terrier tackled Ichigo and licked his face. Ichigo got up and pet the dog and it went on its way. "Mashiro said something about some sort of people in the compass directions that could help us, right?" Hiyori asked. Ichigo was unsure. "She's always so unclear." Hiyori mumbled. "Anyway, if what she said was true, we should go there and find them." Ichigo nodded. "Since we're in the southernmost part of town, lets go south to the swamp." Hiyori suggested. Ichigo walked over to the gate when a guard stopped him. "Where do you think you're going? It's dangerous to go out alone, and.." the guard noticed Ichigo's large sword on his back. Hiyori just noticed this too and jumped back and hit the wall. "A sword? Oh, then your fine, just be careful." the guard said. Ichigo nodded and walked out the gate.

Ichigo looked around. He saw a giant, hollow tree trunk on the road, making it look like a tunnel. There were wooden poles with paintings on them along the road as well. He saw something gooey moving in the bushes and approached it. Suddenly, a blob of green with snail eyes and an annoying grin jumped out of the bushes. Ichigo noticed a green bottle inside the blob. He drew his sword and slashed the blob in half. It immediately melted into mush and Ichigo picked up the bottle. "That s a reiatsu potion. It replenishes your reiatsu." Hiyori said. Ichigo walked along the path again and then entered the woods. He then encountered a.....teddy bear flying with a balloon on his back? The teddybear pulled out a needle and popped the balloon and fell to the ground. He looked up at Ichigo and smirked.

"Yo! I'm Kon! Are you a shinigami?!" Ichigo was astonished at the question. "You have a fairy thing with you, so you must be a shinigami! I'm also a shinigami, see my black robe?" Ichigo noticed the teddy bear was wearing an very oversized black robe. "Wanna buy a map? My dad kicked me out cause he doesn't believe in shinigami so I sell maps for a living. That's why I was drawing in the sky." Ichigo chuckled at the ridiculous hobby and how it was done. "So, wanna buy a map of clock town AND the southern swamp? Just 10 coins." Ichigo pulled out ten coins and gave them to Kon. "It would usually be 20 coins but your a shinigami so you get a discount." Ichigo nodded. Then, Kon took out some confetti and threw it around. "Kidou, kidou, boobie queen loom.....loom....loompamajig!" he shouted. Hiyori laughed. "Those are my special magic shinigami incantations. Don't steal them." Kon said seriously. Ichigo walked along the path, still giggling.


End file.
